A Goal For Every Month

Be Better with Money

In January, I want to focus on getting my finances in order. Sadly, due to the failure of my business (goddammit) I am having to seek further financial advice and have an appointment to start the process of a DRO. A fresh start is what I'm after, a chance for a clean slate and to live within my means. Having to deal with the crap from last year has really taught me the importance of healthy finances!

I certainly want it to be the start of a mature response to money, getting out of the habit of spending to make myself feel better or just because I have it! It's probably even more important now that Calvin and I are planning for our wedding and our future together, I certainly don't want that to be associated with any kind of bad debts.

Spend Quality Time Together

In February, I want it to be about spending quality time as a couple. Whether that be days out, planning our future, cooking together, doing some DIY or simply a walk in the park. I want to see if we can focus on doing things cheaply, and not translating time spent together into a mediocre, unnecessary meal (which is what we usually do!)

Blog (almost) Every Day
Hopefully by this point I'll have been blogging almost every day, and I'd like to keep it up throughout the year. I really love to tell you guys what I'm up to, share a little about what I've learnt from my experiences, some yummy food I've made or even just what I've been thinking about lately. I also find that it really helps to get things down on paper, as it were. I do a lot of writing in my day to day life and I find writing something that is a bit more free helps to clear my mind a little!

Get in the Garden
I love to garden, or at least I'm learning to love it! Two Summers ago I told you about all the veg that I grew. I was so proud to see my little seedlings grow into big, fruitful plants and I want to do the same this summer. I must admit, the garden we have now isn't even a patch on my parents. We have a mere 2m² but I will make it pretty! I know I want a peony bush and foxgloves, but that's as far as I've got and I don't even know if they're suitable!

Work Hard at University

May will be my last month for my first year at University, including exams! I'm going to make sure I spend the whole month revising, eating properly, sleeping well. It goes without saying that I should be doing the latter two now (but clearly I don't, as I'm typing this at 2am after just eating some Caramel and Cinnamon Waffle ice-cream!). I'm going to ensure all my class assignments, exams, extra curricular responsibilities, etc are tied up nicely so I feel relaxed for the summer and not guilty for feeling like I should've put more effort in. 

Get on my Bike

I want to make this the month of exploring! I got my gorgeous Gazelle bike last summer and rode it almost every day! This horrid Yorkshire weather doesn't help. So I want to get out there and see the countryside. Maybe even join the Ladies Vintage Cycle Club? Summer, I can't wait!

Sweet Potatoes, White Beans and Kale! Droooool!

Be A Better Vegetarian

July will be the month of veggies! I am a vegetarian (technically a pescetarian) and have been all my life. Yet, I've only just tried cooking lentils! I love to cook and this summer I'm going to eat/cook all the typical vegetarian things that I haven't really tried before, or at least for a while. I'm thinking lots of quinoa, palenta, lentils, exciting salads, unusual fruits and pulses! I'll also probably throw in some different fish that I haven't tried before, just cause I really should eat more than tuna/cod/salmon/prawns! 

Regular OOTDs!
I follow a lot of fashion bloggers, primarily sweet individual women who post OOTDs (not the more serious kind!) and I love seeing what they wear! I have thought about doing these now and again, but saw it as too trivial and mundane, but I really enjoying seeing others! In August I want to post an OOTD at least once every 3 days. It's summer, not my best time with clothing as style usually goes out the window in favour of being cool/comfortable! I have a few ideas of what I'd like to wear this summer...I know, already! So hopefully it'll be the start of a regular feature!

Do More Cultural Things

I love museums, art galleries and the like. I want to make sure that in September I go to a couple. Maybe have a day out in Leeds? The Art Gallery there is awesome! Would love to visit the National Media Museum again, see some movies in the IMAX cinema ('cause thats totally cultural!) maybe?

Read More!

I love books, I'm just not quite so good with reading...ha! I buy books cause I do want to read them, I just really suck about getting round to actually reading them. Last September, before I started my degree, I read Freakonomics cover to cover and then read it again! Absolutely brilliant book! I have Caitlin Moran's Moranthology on my bookshelf waiting for me, and I'd like to read a few modern classics, etc. I also really want to read Beth Ditto's Biography, Coal To Diamonds! If you have any suggestions I'd love to hear them!

Christmas Shopping

In November, I think I'd like to make a real effort to start/finish my christmas shopping! Ha! I always leave buy presents to the last week before Christmas, leaving me utterly skint and pressed for finding good gifts! Sales will be my friend, and I will get all my shopping finished by the end of the month!

FAT Positive
I'd like to make sure that in December I have done something Fat/Body Positive during the year. I follow a lot of lovely girls in the Yorkshire area and beyond who are very inspirational women and have helped me "come to terms" with who I am. I made an important revelation this month in that being "overweight" does not make me worthless. No matter what size or weight I am, I have the right to feel comfortable, sexy, awesome, empowered and beautiful. With this new found confidence, I'd like to carry it on for the next year and reach out in someway or another. 

Peace and Love!
xx

Tattoo Love

I've been talking about my tattoos recently, and what with me booking a couple of hours for Calvin and I in a few weeks time, I thought I'd share my tattoos with you!

Since I was young I loved them. My mum got her first (and only one) when I was about 10. A fairly mediocre fairy on her shoulder. My dad, however, utterly detests them, I think more because he doesn't understand the link between Tattoos and Art, or why anybody would want them on their body forever. 

My first tattoo was in May 2011 and was of a large Chrysanthemum in the middle of my shoulder blades, done by Davey Robertson, Cruithni, Hull, UK. It took about 2 and 1/2 hours, and was just about bearable! I was 19 when I got it and probably held on a little longer as I was scared of the pain. I don't even have my ears pierced because of this. 

The plan was to get two Japanese Ranchu goldfish on either side, made to look like Koi, but a little different. I didn't do that however, and got my second tattoo on my right shoulder blade of my "The Cat Returns" inspired maneki neko, or lucky cat. 

Horribly sore >_<

This was done in December 2011 in about 2-3 hoursby my local tattoo artist friend, Betty Banzai, Noir Bizarre, Hull, UK. I wanted it to look odd, not your typical cat, with watercolour-esque colours. The Japanese kanji is "Geibun" 芸文 for Art and Literature and the other is "Chi" 智 for intellect/wisdom/knowledge (also Satoshi which is the first name of the guy who created Pokemon!). 

My third is my beautiful, female, fu-dog/shishi. I got her on my right thigh by the amazing artist, Andy Walker, Creative Vandals, Hull, UK. This was my longest piece and took a solid 8 hours, and it's still not finished! I got my fu-dog to represent my appreciation of asian/japanese culture, for protection and for fertility.

I love everything about it and just epitomises why tattoos are important to me. It's art, meaning, symbolism and life events all roled into one!

I am very excited to be starting on my sleeve in just 10 days! I've decided to go about further afield and get tattooed by Sneaky Mitch Allenden's apprentice, Alicia Rafferty at Inspirations Studio, Leeds, UK. I love her work, and she has really grown over the last few months that I've been following her posts. I will be getting her old-school rendition of this beauty by Camilla d'Errico!

As soon as I saw it, I knew I had to have it tattooed on me somewhere. The catgirl-esque mask made out of hair, the cat ears and the blue and yellow eyes! Firstly, a mask out of hair?! It just screams to me imagination, creativity and fun to make yourself into something else so easily. It seems so fun and child-like. And the blue and yellow eyes? Well, the combination of blue and yellow is so magical to me. It's often used in films to make the scene look more futuristic/interesting. I see it all the time and I drive my Calvin mad with it every time I point it out!

I'm really excited to see what Alicia comes up with, and to get tattooed in just 10 days! EEK! And in such a prominent space. I'm quite a bit scared about it! 

Peace and Love!

xx

Some big news :D

I hope everyone had a good Christmas!

Mine was pretty unforgettable. On 23rd December, Calvin and I's first Anniversary, at 00.01, he asked me to marry him!

We were both crying buckets, and it was the perfect proposal. Nothing too fancy for this homegirl. We had had a delicious homemade curry with coconut rice, watched a movie and had had a really nice chilled out day. He said happy anniversary and went upstairs saying he had a present for me, came back with a card and his phone out filming...The card was full of lovely things about how he feels about me, and I could hardly finish reading it, I was crying way too much already.

The next thing I knew he was down on one knee, crying as well, and asking me to be his wife. It still doesn't seem real. We've talked about getting married, he was actually going to propose on my 21st, at the end of November, but we both agreed that it didn't quite feel like the right time.

We've both agreed that we'll get married once I've finished university and got into a good job. There's no point rushing! But this does mean that I've already started planning, and Calvin even bought me my very own hand finished paper chase notebook so we can write down our plans.

Expect in the next couple of months/years to have the odd wedding-based post from me, I have a lot of fun ideas and great inspiration to share!

For now, I'll leave you with a terrible picture of the ring (I must admit, this isn't the ring Calvin proposed with, as sadly, even though it was incredibly beautiful, it didn't quite fit. We went out the next day and chose this one together, I love it!)

Peace and Love!

x

Truancy!

Oh my dear readers!

I must apologise for the extended absence these past few months! Life just got on top of me and the daily blogs just took a back seat. But this is set to change indeed!

I'll give you a little lowdown and much needed explanation for the truancy! So, the last time we talked was back in the middle of September when I was starting my classes and getting back into the swing of "being a student" something that I hadn't been for well over 9 months. I was beginning my degree in "Lens Based Photo Media" i.e. Photography and a bit of Video, my AAT in Accountancy. I went through a horrible break up and was just getting to know the people on my courses and making some good friends. Hurray for being less socially awkward!

3 Months later in January 2012 I was now with my lovely boyfriend (I'd like to say partner, but it's way too formal!) Calvin and I couldn't be happier, college was getting crappier and I was seriously stressing out with some new ideas that I really wanted to implement.

Step back to Christmas 2011, I had a brainwave to open up my own shop, specialising in Alternative clothing with a 50s edge. I knew it would work, how I wanted it to look, what I wanted to call it and that it was exactly what my town needed, an injection of vintage retro style!

In January I decided to go into business with my aunt who had a similar shop on the other side of the river and wanted to be closer to home. We found a retail space, got the financial backing from the bank, and bought our first lot of stock! By 17th March we were having our Grand Opening and starting to make money!

All while this was happening I was having issues with college, thankfully because of my Aunt I missed a minimal amount of coursework; the issues were more about the quality of education we were receiving, and as student rep it was my job to bring it up and get it sorted.

Despite any action that might take place in the next few weeks, I have decided to leave at the end of the academic year and focus purely on the shop and my accountancy. I can earn so much more and progress further if I don't have a few hours a day, 5 days a week of something that at the moment seems quite pointless. It's such a shame as I really enjoyed the first few months, but when your enthusiasm, inspiration, determination and positivity is at nil, its time to make a change.

I'll be doing my AAT Accountancy course on one day, rather than two evenings, and hopefully get enrolled to start on my CIMA exams (Chartered Institute of Management Accountants) in order to be chartered by the time I finish my AAT. Then I can start on a career which can earn me decent amounts while being free to build up my business as I'm hoping to freelance with the Accountancy.

Seriously exciting times, there is so much I want to do, that I know will release some potential in the shop, get me a decent wage.

Inspired by the lovely Kaelah of Honeybean Boutique fame I am composing a goal list of "20 before 21" keep an eye out for it in the next post!